About the UTMB Chemical Safety Committee

The Committee is created to support the University’s fundamental objectives of teaching, research and healthcare delivery by promoting the safe use, management and control of chemicals as well as assuring that all activities involving these agents are in compliance with the applicable guidelines, standards, codes and regulations.  The specific purposes of the Committee may include the following responsibilities:

• Approve applications for work being conducted in the Environmental Toxicology Laboratory (ETL)
• Establish and maintain the UTMB list of High-Risk Hazardous Chemicals (HRHC) & Moderate Risk Chemicals
• Review safety plans for the use and storage of HRHC to:
  • ensure that unreasonable risks to personnel, property or the environment do not exist
  • verify the adequacy of technical procedures to minimize occupational exposures
  • review the qualifications of the applicants undertaking the proposed research and make recommendations, if appropriate
  • approve, recommend change to, or deny the intended use of the chemical as proposed in the HRHC Safety Plan
• Oversight of use of those materials designated as Select Agent toxins by the CDC
• Develop policies, procedures and guidelines as necessary for the use of all other hazardous chemicals and related activities, including:
  • Develop institutional chemical safety policies and procedures
  • Maintain/review policies and procedures
  • Identify problem areas
  • Monitor effectiveness of policies and compliance with UTMB & EHS Chemical Safety Policies
• Assure safety of students, employees, visitors, volunteers, patients, environment and community
• Recommend facility modifications
• Oversight of chemical disposal procedures
• Report to and advise university administration on chemical safety issues
• Communicate to stakeholders to address:
  • Chemicals requiring chemical safety review,
  • Individual responsibilities with respect to chemical safety, and;
  • Chemical issues prompted by public awareness/media coverage.

Chemical Safety Committee Schedule

The UTMB Chemical Safety Committee meets on a quarterly basis on the first Thursday of the month.  The deadline for submission of applications to the Chemical Safety Committee is two weeks prior to a scheduled meeting.  In order to ensure that Committee members have adequate time to review applications, submissions after the deadline will be carried forward to the next scheduled meeting.  Note: meetings might be cancelled or unable to conduct business due to lack of quorum.  Principal Investigators are invited and encouraged to attend meetings to answer any questions Committee members may have.  Attending the meeting can help expedite the approval process.

         Meeting Date                FY23              Submission Deadline

• June 1                                                                                            May 18

         Meeting Date                FY24              Submission Deadline

• September 7                                                                                August 24
• December 7                                                                                 November 23
  
• March 7                                                                                         February 22
  
• June 6                                                                                           May 23